In September, there will be a change in leadership at the Frankfurt TechQuartier. Alice Rettig will take over from Sebastian Schäfer as Managing Director. Schäfer, after eight years in this leadership role at the innovation and fintech hub for the Rhine-Main area, will assume the management of the House of Finance & Tech in Berlin in autumn 2024. This entity represents a collaborative effort between the financial sector of Berlin and private industry.

The TechQuartier was initiated by key players in the financial sector to establish a local start-up ecosystem that primarily offers young entrepreneurs a point of contact and support. It also serves as a landing place for companies looking to innovate through collaboration. Flexible coworking spaces, acceleration programmes, community events, matchmaking services with companies and investors, and access to an international network of partner hubs are part of the TechQuartier's service portfolio. Public founding entities include the Economic and Infrastructure Bank of Hessen (WIBank), Goethe University Frankfurt, the city of Frankfurt am Main, and the Technical University of Darmstadt.

Under Schäfer's leadership, a community of over 600 start-ups has been built since 2016. The new Managing Director, Alice Rettig, is recognised as an experienced project leader who drives change in start-ups and companies. She has been with the TechQuartier (TQ) since February 2023, most recently as Chief Innovation Officer. Previously, she spent six years in academia, researching and teaching in the fields of corporate innovation and start-up acceleration, and she led the programme management at a Berlin accelerator.

At the TechQuartier, she was responsible for managing partnerships and reshaping the programme offering, focusing on dedicated programs for advanced start-ups and open innovation initiatives. In her role as Managing Director, she aims to further enhance the maturity of the TechQuartier and solidify its position within and beyond the ecosystem. The focus will always be on close cooperation between established corporate partners and the start-up community, according to a statement.

Rettig expresses gratitude for the trust of the shareholders and the TQ team. „As Managing Director, I will continue the path I have taken over the past 1.5 years at the TechQuartier, with a strategic focus on programs for advanced start-ups and open innovation initiatives.," she said. She aims to consolidate activities and expand core competencies, with a focus on the international start-up community and corporate partners.

The House of Finance and Tech Berlin will welcome Sebastian Schäfer, an expert in entrepreneurship, financial technologies, and innovation. The new center for financial innovation in the heart of the German fintech scene was founded in April.